Lancer homemade cinnamon rolls now for sale at R & J’s

For most kids the day the school lunch included cinnamon rolls was the day to eat at school. The smell of the cinnamon rolls drifted through the building and by the time lunchtime came students were so hungry and ate them so quickly they were ready for more.

Now, thanks to a partnership with USD 247 Southeast, those old homemade cinnamon rolls are for sale at R & J’s Convenience Store at the corner of U.S. 400 and Kansas Highway 7 in Cherokee, Kansas.

“Everybody likes cinnamon rolls and those are excellent cinnamon rolls,” said R & J’s owner Greg Ascanio. “They’re very good to look at and they’re even better to eat.”

The idea to sell the cinnamon rolls to the public came from a need to find ways to help offset costs in Food Services at the school district. The Federal Healthy Kid Act has restricted food types and amounts as well as increased costs for schools. The state of Kansas continues to cut funding to schools, and there are plans to replace older equipment at the school district.

“(Southeast Elementary cook) Tammy Richey is known for her bakery skills and I think that’s the best product,” said Southeast Food Services Director Rocky Davied.

“Our kitchens are staffed by great cooks – the federal government no longer lets them treat our kids to such delicacies, so this partnership is a great way for the kids and public to access some wonderful food, recognize Tammie and other staff in the future; and for the public to help support the schools while being sweetly rewarded,” said USD 247 Superintendent Glenn Fortmayer.

Ascanio said cinnamon rolls have a very big niche so he expects them to sell well. He also said they try to help the students and school when they can.

“We’re small but we do what we can to try to help,” said Ascanio.

The cinnamon rolls are being sold as singles for $1.99 or in 4-packs for $5.89, with the Southeast school district getting a cut of the proceeds. The cinnamon rolls will be available Mondays, Wednesday and Friday’s to start with but both Ascanio and Davied said they will go from there.